From: El Centro Date: December 13, 2023 Subject: El Centro Fall 23 Newsletter
Fall 2023 Recap
Looking forward to Spring 2024
Highlights
Meet the Team
Stay Connected and Get Involved
What a semester! We want to start off with a big fat THANK YOU!
Thank you to all of the students who used their voices to support the development of El Centro. Thank you to those who have stoped by, have told their friends about us, and show up! Thank you to the faculty and staff that consistenty show their support and share their words of encouragement and wisdom. Thank you to our leadership team at the Office of Inclusive Excellence & Sustainability for helping us open our doors this semester. This is a quick overview of some of our highlights this semester, thanks to all of you!
We held our 1st annual Entrada (entrance) event on Friday, September 8, 2023, with interactive community-building activities with tamales & horchata, música, and good welcoming vibes in the Main Quad. We loved seeing over 100 familiar and new faces, and cannot wait for la Despedida (farewell) at the end of Spring.
The launch of El Centro began on September 13th, 2023 with a Ribbon Cutting celebration at our physical space in Building 12, Room 125. Staff, faculty, and students interacted, and discussed El Centro’s potential and its future success as a new student resource center at CSUMB. Programmatic Areas were shared, and ideas for future events and services were collected from attendees.
During HSI Week El Centro held Nuestra Independencia celebrated on September 15, located in the Inter-Garrison Plaza, where we had a live Mariachi band and delicious Champurrado. It was a special evening with friends and family requesting the most popular songs from well-known artists. Guests also had the opportunity to participate in "El Grito de Independecia" known as the cry or shout of Dolores. We ended the night with a Movie screening of La Bamba in collaboration with the OSU, with popcorn and additional refreshments.
During Día de los Muertos, we hosted an altar inside El Centro and encouraged students, faculty, and staff to honor their loved ones with us. To commemorate the occasion, we decorated it with traditional cempasúchil (marigolds). We also held a face-painting session in collaboration with the MAESTROs Project where students got their Calavera face painted, which is the typical makeup for this occasion. We began at El Centro's area and later transferred to the VPA building for their Día De Los Muertos event, where they served hot beverages and pan de muerto while listening to music and enjoying other activities such as an Aztec dancer presentation or their main altar.
In honor of Undocumented Student Action Week and National First-Gen Day, we partnered up with the Undocu-Success Center and hosted Immigrant Identity, Acculturation, and Allyship on November 9th. Dr. Hortenica Jimenez was our guest speaker, a renowned expert in this field with extensive research and advocacy work. We were happy to see over 65 individuals in attendance, gave away 15 Latinxs at the Intersections: An Interdisciplinary Reader books, and engaged in meaningful conversations. Even further, we were glad to share information on a systemwide training course titled, CSU-Becoming an Ally to the Undocumented Community, developed by the Chancellor’s Office and Dream Centers, to increase awareness and understanding of undocumented and mixed-status student issues.
El Centro joined forces with the amazing sisters of Sigma Omega Nu Latina Interest Sorority Inc. to bring an unforgettable Lotería Night! Over 32 of our students came together for an evening filled with cultura, laughter, and many prizes. It was a night to remember, celebrating diversity and creating lasting memories with our incredible community.
¡Qué divertido!
Let's Talk with PGCC
Let’s Talk is a student service that provides a safe space for casual consultations with a Personal Growth and Counseling Center counselor to provide support for all students in need to talk about their personal concerns.
We hosted Michelle Tran, a licensed counselor at PGCC who received her M.S. in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis on diversity and community mental health.
El Centro has connected with the Cooperative Learning Center to offer a designated hour within El Centro space to support students with their Spanish coursework. This support service was created to help students use tutoring services offered by CLC in our space and gain support as they excell in the Spanish Language.
El Centro will launch a Mariposa Mentorship program to help facilitate a journey of growth for students, helping mentees emerge from their cocoon to soar toward their aspirations. We know that the most helpful mentoring relationships develop and grow organically and are fortified by genuine care. 🦋
Our first event for Spring 2024 will be during Welcome Back Week! We will be traveling in a charter bus to a Santa Cruz Warriors game on Saturday, January 20th. You don't want to miss out on this fun!
We want to aknowledge that it has been an amazing experience to have our physical space this semester. The word about El Centro has not only been shared on campus, but also has spread through out our off-campus community. We cannot express how proud we are when community members knows about us, and want to support CSUMB's Latine student population.
On September 28th, journalist Delia Saldivar fromRadio Bilingüeinterviewed the El Centro equipo to raise awareness about the role the Center for Latine Student Success plays at CSUMB as an inclusive and empowering community for and with Latine students.
On November 23rd, journalist Celia Jimenez from The Monterey Weekly interviewed the equipo to learn more about why El Centro exists and to learn about the mission and vision of our collective work in the community.
If you haven't already, we encourage you to come by El Centro and chat with: Gudalupe - Multicultural Programming and Wellness & Lead Student Coordinator Corina - Academic Programs and Support Services Student Coordinator Gerson - Diversity, Advocacy, and Outreach Student Coordiantor Lara - Professional/Leadership Development and Mentorship Student Coordinator
This year, we had 3 co-directors, serving as leaders and mentors as El Centro officially started up on campus. We call them Los Garcia Co-Directors! Betsi Solis (previously a García), Co-Directora works in the College of Education, as a MAESTROs Project Coordinator, HSI Week Co-lead, and supports Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Campus centers efforts! Kenny García, Co-Director serves as an Associate Librarian and leads our Colectiva efforts! Susana/Suzanne García, Co-Directora, teaches in the Department of Education and Leadership, coordinates the Bilingual Authorization program and is the Director of the Monterey Institute for English Learners. Connect with them at any time! Next Semester, you will see Betsi and Susana continue their roles as Co-Directoras, go mujeres!
Querido Kenny,
Your commitment to students, staff, and faculty of color at CSUMB is at the heart of the inception of El Centro. You will always have a home con esta familia. Te queremos mucho.
-El centro equipo: Betsi, Susana, Gerson, Corina, Lupe, y Lara
Now, you must wonder, how can I support or collaborate with El Centro?
If you would like to collaborate on an event or support services, click on the link below. If you would like to add items to El Centro's physical space and offerings, check out our Amazon Wishlist down below, or visit our donation page link!
Don't be shy and stop by El Centro any time next semester!
